How do Greenland icebergs travel toward Baffin Bay and the Labrador Sea?

Icebergs originating from Greenland travel toward Baffin Bay and the Labrador Sea primarily through a combination of ocean currents and coastal drift.

After calving from glaciers along the eastern coast of Greenland, icebergs are carried southward by the East Greenland Current. As they reach Cape Farewell, the southern tip of Greenland, most of these icebergs turn into Baffin Bay. Once in Baffin Bay, they move northward via the West Greenland Current, where their numbers are significantly increased by icebergs produced by prolific West Greenland glaciers.

Subsequently, the icebergs cross to the western side of the bay and move south toward the Labrador Sea within the Baffin Island Current. While most follow this path, some "rogue" icebergs may travel directly into the Labrador Sea, particularly when influenced by prolonged storm activity. The final stage of their journey occurs as they enter the Labrador Current, where they eventually melt or break up.1